Attractive and sexy women - Melon-seed face, and others

[harmony]

An AUS99 friend on here recently discussed a ladys appearance, including that she had a "melon seed" face
This is a respectful term, merely used I presume to aid understanding of the womans look
I had no idea about this classification, and imagine a few others also would like to learn more ...
This thread is not meant to be judgemental or objectifying, just a discussion about womens faces in general

Please discuss if you find the classification of any value, and feel free to add any further classifications or examples
Here is a relevant article. Enjoy.

The Four Faces of Chinese People (women, really) (http://laowaichinese.net/the-four-faces-of-chinese-people-women-really.htm)

The other day in English class we were talking about hair styles
One boy said he thought the shīfu 师傅 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=师傅) (in this case, “barber”) should consider your face shape (liǎnxíng 脸型 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=脸型)) when recommending a hair style.
This lead me to say, “Um… what are the choices for face shapes?”
The class agree there were some “standard” face shapes that everyone talks about (I think it’s girls mostly).

A quick Google Images search for each (https://www.google.com/search?q=瓜子脸典型&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=_69lT96pJqibiQL68uWiDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CA4Q_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=430#hl=en&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=瓜子脸典型&oq=瓜子脸典型&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=34084l34084l0l35123l1l1l0l0l0l0l457l457l4-1l1l0&gs_l=img.3...34084l34084l0l35123l1l1l0l0l0l0l457l4 57l4-1l1l0.frgbld.&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=e5d942a0579ccc0c&biw=1024&bih=466) of (https://www.google.com/search?q=鹅蛋脸典型&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=dLBlT7qEApH8iQKBoomjDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=430) the (https://www.google.com/search?q=国字脸典型&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=l7BlT83hPMmZiQKElImjDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CA4Q_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=430) four (https://www.google.com/search?q=饼脸典型&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=_69lT96pJqibiQL68uWiDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CA4Q_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=430), respectively, lead me to some images.


The two everyone wants are:

1) Guāzǐ liǎn 瓜子脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=瓜子脸) = Melon-seed Face

http://laowaichinese.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/guazilian.jpg (http://www.zxmrzd.com/picture/15/2010_02_04/3351265268924.jpg)

2)é dàn liǎn 鹅蛋脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=鹅蛋脸) = Goose-egg Face

http://laowaichinese.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/edanlian.jpg (http://www.kmhm.cn/UploadFiles/zx/2009/3/200903251549007294.jpg)

I don’t see a huge difference, but I think the guāzǐ liǎn is just higher cheekbones and a sharper chin, generally (even though we can’t actually SEE her chin in the first picture).

Then there are the less desirable ones:

3)Guó zì liǎn 国字脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=国字脸) = “Country”-character Face
http://www.allure.com/images/hair-ideas/2012/05/square-face-hairstyles-olivia-wilde.jpg

4)Bǐng liǎn 饼脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=饼脸) = Flat-cake Face

http://cdn-img.instyle.com/sites/default/files/styles/428xflex/public/images/2012/GALLERY/112912-Selena-Gomez-400_0.jpg?itok=Of7bG5lL

Seems like the last two are the two that girls don’t want to have.

Anyway, it got me thinking:



I don’t think there are handy, standard expressions like this to describe face shapes in English. I mean, a discussion about face shapes with people in general would be weird for me, personally. But even stranger would be if I discovered that everyone had a shared vocabulary for this in English.
How funny that I could say to a Chinese girl, “You’ve got a face like a melon seed” and her response would be to beam back a huge smile and say, “Why thank you! And you’ve got a goose egg face yourself.”


Less interesting terms include 长脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=长脸), 圆脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=圆脸), 方脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=方脸) (long, round, and square, respectively)
There’s also 苹果脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=苹果脸) (apple-faced, similar to English baby-faced), but I believe also with red cheeks.
Finally there are 猪腰子脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=猪腰子脸) (pig kidney; supposedly 东北话 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=东北话)), and 鞋拔子脸 (http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?wdqcham=1&wdrst=0&wdqchs=鞋拔子脸) (shoe horn).

http://laowaichinese.net/the-four-faces-of-chinese-people-women-really.htm

[harmony]

Face shape 脸形
Just as Brazil has over 100 different words for shades skin tone in order to describe its multi-ethnic population, China has a vast range of words to describe the shape of a person's face
For example, 烧饼脸 'pancake face' obviously describes someone with a round flattish face, and 苹果脸 'apple face' describes someone with round rosy cheeks.
国字脸 is the Chinese for square face, and is the ideal face shape for a man.





The ideal features for Chinese women, however, are 瓜子脸 a 'melon seed face' (the English translation would be an oval face, but with a pointed chin) and 鹅蛋脸 a 'goose egg face'
Dating sites even list face shape as important information alongside build, age, etc.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/96/f3/37/96f337a91f3ceb683e235f0dc4328d23.jpg

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/210965563767912949/)Fan Bingbing has a "melon seed face"

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w-GUdmvklMY/UbckI4awM9I/AAAAAAAABbo/xfvenv6mfmE/s1600/gong-li-fm939.jpg

Actress "Gongli" has a "goose egg face"

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gWJ6cGeqV04/UbckI2HpynI/AAAAAAAABbs/7K484ggB_d8/s1600/gongyuanyuan.jpeg

Gong Yuanyuan has a 'goose egg face'



http://crockerymockery.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/chinese-beauty-standards.html

[harmony]

What The Average Human Face Looks Like In Every Country (http://nedhardy.com/2014/05/30/average-human-face-looks-like-every-country/)

FaceResearch.org (http://faceresearch.org/) has published the results of a recent experiment where experimental psychologists at the University of Glasgow in Scotland have combined the faces of men and women around to world to approximate the “average face” of each country. Using a modern version of the technique that Sir Francis Galton pioneered in the 1800s, multiple images of faces are aligned and composited together to form the final result.
Some people feel that the average is “too attractive.”
Part of this is explained by the process. Instead of having a lot of blurry images with undefined features, this method averages the shape of the features before blending the images together
Also when blending, remember that many singular issues are “averaged away.”
The study also does not reveal how the participants were selected or how large the sample size actually is

http://cdn.cavemancircus.com//wp-content/uploads/images/2014/march/average_faces_around_the_world/average_female_face_3.jpg

http://cdn.cavemancircus.com//wp-content/uploads/images/2014/march/average_faces_around_the_world/average_female_face_2.jpg

http://cdn.cavemancircus.com//wp-content/uploads/images/2014/march/average_faces_around_the_world/average_female_face_5.jpg



http://www.cavemancircus.com/wp-content/uploads/images/2014/march/average_faces_around_the_world/average_female_face_1.jpg


http://cdn.cavemancircus.com//wp-content/uploads/images/2014/march/average_faces_around_the_world/average_female_face_3.jpg

[dr3w]

Do you have any examples of the country character face and the 4th one? I'm just curious

[Wayne]

good thread harmony and thanks. I usually only divide Chinese faces into one of two categories: melon-seed or apple. Melon-seed for oval (including, I think goose-egg) and apple for round (including country and flat-cake). From my understanding of Chinese aesthetics, round faces have traditionally been associated with earthy, honest, simple values. While oval faces are associated with more sophsiticated, intelligent, high-class women. Something I have always found fascinating is that the character for want, 要, is western woman, who have oval shaped faces.

[harmony]

The Western face shape description for hairstyling is a little different, and has six varieties
This classification is not so romantic - a diamond shaped face ??

What's your face shape?

Most women will say that their face is round, but most faces are usually one of six basic shapes.

Before you try to pick the right hairstyle, you need to determine your face shape.
The easiest way to do that is pull your hair back away from your face, and take a good look in the mirror.

Ask yourself:
What's the widest part of your face — your forehead or your jaw?
Or maybe it's neither and your cheekbones are the widest.
Look at your chin, is it pointy, round or square?

Picture an imaginary line going around your face. What shape is it?

Determining your face shape
There are six different face shapes and each have distinct characteristics. By using the guide below, you can easily determine your face shape.

Oval:
The length of your face is about one and a half times its width. Your forehead is slightly wider than your chin.
This is probably the most coveted facial shape of them all

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_oval.jpg http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/best-styles-for-your-face-shape-oval-jessica-alba.jpg

Round:
You have prominent (perhaps chubby) cheeks, and the length and width of your face are about equal.

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_round.jpg http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/best-styles-for-your-face-shape-round-ginnifer-goodwin.jpg

Square:
You have a prominent jaw and square chin. Your forehead and jaw line are approximately the same width.

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_square.jpg http://youqueen.com/wp-content/themes/RoyalMasonry/images/haircuts/angled-bob-square-1.jpg



http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/824003/best-styles-for-your-face-shape

[harmony]

What's your face shape? (continued)

Oblong:
Oblong is often confused with oval, however this shape is slightly longer and not as wide. You may also have a pointy chin.
http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_oblong.jpg http://youqueen.com/wp-content/themes/RoyalMasonry/images/haircuts/angled-bob-3.jpg

Heart/ Triangle:
Both your forehead and your cheekbones are wide. You have a narrow jaw and pointy chin.

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_heart.jpg http://youqueen.com/wp-content/themes/RoyalMasonry/images/haircuts/inverted-bob-3.jpg

Diamond:
Both your forehead and your jaw line are narrow with your cheekbones being the widest part of your face.

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/FaceShapes_Diamond.jpg http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/10/best-styles-for-your-face-shape-diamond-kerry-washington.jpg

http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/824003/best-styles-for-your-face-shape

[rooter]

Us Aussie blokes have got some very colourful expressions to describe a girls face too.
A classic one is "she had a face like a dropped pie" ;)
We are such charming bastards ;)